April 4 Shanghai to Xi'an
Back in February Oceania had told us that our two day stay in Beijing would be but a single day -- China's decision, not O's. Since we wanted to do two days worth of things in Beijing, we signed up for another overland tour. Four days, three nights overall with two nights in Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, then two days in Beijing to see the Great Wall, Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City.
We were up at oh-dark-30 to get on our flight to Xi'an. The rain and fog of the previous two days had lifted somewhat, so I could actually see the tops of the buildings across the river.
China Eastern flew us to Xi'an without incident, even serving a hot breakfast during the two hour flight. And the poor folks in the Terrace Cafe had gotten up at 5am to serve us breakfast before we left. Our first stop in Xi'an was for lunch, since we were from a cruise ship it was considered poor form to go more than two hours without food available. All of the genuine Chinese meals we were served on this trip were served family style with a lazy Susan in the middle of the table. This place specialized in dumplings. Each dumpling was shaped to represent the contents -- here's the duck dumpling in the inset.
The Great Goose pagoda
The tour group climbing up to the top of the Xi'an city wall. Nine miles around with a moat, very broad and tall. Note all of the white jackets which Oceania gave to the round-the-worlders.
Xi'an has a bike rental concession on top of the wall. $1.50 an hour for a single, $3 for a bicycle built for two. It would be a little bumpy, but lots of people were pedaling around.
Xi'an Hilton, our home for two nights. Very nice, and much larger than our stateroom on the ship.
Administrative blog note: Internet access will be difficult if not impossible for the 4 days that we're in Japan. The C-band satellite system can't be used, and that's how Oceania does the internet. So from April 11 thru the 14th nothing can get posted. Then there's the problem of pushing things up the narrow pipe at any time. So posting may be slow for awhile.
Back in February Oceania had told us that our two day stay in Beijing would be but a single day -- China's decision, not O's. Since we wanted to do two days worth of things in Beijing, we signed up for another overland tour. Four days, three nights overall with two nights in Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta Warriors, then two days in Beijing to see the Great Wall, Tianamen Square and the Forbidden City.
We were up at oh-dark-30 to get on our flight to Xi'an. The rain and fog of the previous two days had lifted somewhat, so I could actually see the tops of the buildings across the river.
China Eastern flew us to Xi'an without incident, even serving a hot breakfast during the two hour flight. And the poor folks in the Terrace Cafe had gotten up at 5am to serve us breakfast before we left. Our first stop in Xi'an was for lunch, since we were from a cruise ship it was considered poor form to go more than two hours without food available. All of the genuine Chinese meals we were served on this trip were served family style with a lazy Susan in the middle of the table. This place specialized in dumplings. Each dumpling was shaped to represent the contents -- here's the duck dumpling in the inset.
The Great Goose pagoda
The tour group climbing up to the top of the Xi'an city wall. Nine miles around with a moat, very broad and tall. Note all of the white jackets which Oceania gave to the round-the-worlders.
Administrative blog note: Internet access will be difficult if not impossible for the 4 days that we're in Japan. The C-band satellite system can't be used, and that's how Oceania does the internet. So from April 11 thru the 14th nothing can get posted. Then there's the problem of pushing things up the narrow pipe at any time. So posting may be slow for awhile.
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